Algae to ethanol: Algenol Biofuels holds grand opening

Algenol Biofuels opened its doors Tuesday to the media and public for a tour of the new facility in Fort Myers. One of six growing rooms inside Algenol Biofuels contains algae in bottles that grows under lighting and climate conditions created to mimic the geographic area that the algae originates. According to Paul Woods, Algenol Biofuels co-founder, the company has collected thousands of strains of algae from around the world to use to create ethanol. Lexey Swall/Staff

Biologists for Algenol Biofuels, work on experiments in the lab of the new facility in Fort Myers on Tuesday. Algenol Biofuels, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. According to Paul Woods, co-founder of Algenol, local workers put in more than 50,000 hours of labor so far to build the facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels opened its doors Tuesday to the media and public for a tour of the new facility in Fort Myers. According to Paul Woods, Algenol Biofuels co-founder, the company has collected thousands of strains of algae from around the world to use to create ethanol. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels co-founders Craig Smith, from left, and Paul Woods, along with Congerssman Connie Mack and Lee County Commissioners Tammy Hall and Ray Judah, right, cut the ribbon during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Members of the media and public were given tours of Algenol Biofuels during the grand opening Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. One of the key features of the facility is its elaborate climate control system, created to mimic the temperatures of the geographical areas where the algae is collected. Temperatures in six algae-growing rooms range from 45 degrees to 115 degrees. Lexey Swall/Staff

Co-founder Paul Woods, right, hugs Lee County Commission chair person Tammy Hall during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Co-founders Paul Woods, right, and Craig Smith shake hands after the official ribbon cutting for the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Co-founder Paul Woods, right, jokes with Congressman Connie Mack during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels co-founder Paul Woods, left, talks with Congressman Connie Mack during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Lee County Commissioners Ray Judah, left, and Tammy Hall talk with Congressman Connie Mack during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Biologist Matthew Anderson, right, and other biologists for Algenol Biofuels, work on experiments in the lab of the new facility in Fort Myers on Tuesday. Algenol Biofuels, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels co-founders Craig Smith, left, and Paul Woods stand inside one of six growing rooms where algae is grown inside the new facility Tuesday in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels co-founder Craig Smith, second from left, talks about a bioreactor that is on display during a tour of the facility during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. The bioreactor, 50-feet by 5-feet, is filled with a few inches of sea water and algae and creates ethanol through a greenhouse process. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels co-founder Craig Smith, right, gives a tour of the facility during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels co-founder Craig Smith, center, gives a tour of the facility during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels co-founder Craig Smith gives a tour of the facility during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff

Algenol Biofuels co-founder Craig Smith, left, gives a tour of the facility during the grand opening of Algenol Biofuels on Tuesday morning in Fort Myers. Algenol, an industrial biotechnology company that creates ethanol from algae, received a $10 million incentive grant from the Lee County Board of Commissioners to help build the 40,000 square foot facility. Lexey Swall/Staff